Zechariah 4:1-14

  • Vision 5: A lampstand and two olive trees (1-14)

    • ‘Not by power, but by my spirit’ (6)

    • Do not despise the day of small beginnings (10)

4  The angel who had been speaking with me came back and woke me up, as when waking someone from sleep.  Then he said to me: “What do you see?” So I said: “I see, and look! a lampstand entirely of gold,+ with a bowl on top of it. There are seven lamps on it,+ yes, seven, and the lamps, which are at the top of it, have seven pipes.  And next to it are two olive trees,+ one on the right of the bowl and one on the left.”  Then I asked the angel who was speaking with me: “What do these things mean, my lord?”  So the angel who was speaking with me asked: “Do you not know what these things mean?” I replied: “No, my lord.”  He then said to me: “This is the word of Jehovah to Ze·rubʹba·bel: ‘“Not by a military force, nor by power,+ but by my spirit,”+ says Jehovah of armies.  Who are you, O great mountain? Before Ze·rubʹba·bel+ you will become a level land.*+ And he will bring out the top stone* amid shouts of: “How wonderful! How wonderful!”’”  The word of Jehovah again came to me, saying:  “The hands of Ze·rubʹba·bel have laid the foundation of this house,+ and his own hands will finish it.+ And you will have to know that Jehovah of armies has sent me to you. 10  For who has despised the day of small beginnings?*+ For they will rejoice and see the plumb line* in the hand of Ze·rubʹba·bel. These seven are the eyes of Jehovah, which are roving about in all the earth.”+ 11  Then I asked him: “What is the meaning of these two olive trees on the right and on the left of the lampstand?”+ 12  I asked him a second time: “What is the meaning of the two bunches of twigs* of the olive trees that are pouring out the golden liquid through the two golden tubes?” 13  So he asked me: “Do you not know what these things mean?” I replied: “No, my lord.” 14  He said: “These are the two anointed ones who are standing alongside the Lord of the whole earth.”+

Footnotes

Or “the capstone.”
Or “a plain.”
Or “small things?”
Lit., “the stone, the tin.”
That is, fruit-laden twigs of the tree.